In fact, at this point, “Cats” is sort of a finishing school for bright-eyed youths coming out of various musical theater programs across the country. They land in Manhattan and grab the gig to get some time on stage and on the road while working toward an Equity card.

Never has this been truer than in the years since the show left Broadway.

The touring version of “Cats” on the Mainstage at Proctors just doesn’t have the edge one would expect if the kids onstage still had a chance of moving into one of those coveted New York spots.

So, all of the songs and dances (directed and choreographed for the tour by Richard Stafford) happen, but just without the kind of passion one wants when they purchase a ticket.

“Memory,” for example, garnered huge applause on Friday’s opening night. Why? Well, because the audience had just heard “Memory,” that’s why. It’s the big song of one of the biggest shows in history.

And it was in fact well sung by Tricia Tanguy, if you define that as meaning she hit all of the right notes in the right places.

But Tanguy displayed no sense of what the song is about, or what her character Grizabella is about or any knowledge of why the song sits where it does in the show.

She sang it like a belter’s audition piece instead of the lonely wail of a disheveled beast hoping for another chance.

Zander Meisner’s Rum Tum Tugger was similarly misguided. On a good night, Tugger’s take on his titular tune is like a mad cross between Elvis Presley and David Lee Roth. Meisner was tame by comparison, with none of the sexiness or sass required by the role.

He was also a letdown on “Mr. Mistoffelees,” one of the show’s best-loved numbers.

Luckily, Chris Mackenthun, as Mistoffelees, danced the role with precision and abandon. Not the best Mistoffelees Proctors has seen, but certainly good.

Tops in the cast was Christopher E. Sidoli as the trio of Bustopher Jones, Gus the Theatre Cat and Growltiger. Felix Hess was also strong as Skimbleshanks, whose signature song was a bright spot on Friday.

Understudy Eva Kosmowski also made for a strong opening night Demeter.

“Cats” is “Cats.”

No doubt it will please its many fans, but if the money behind the show continues to let the heart go out of it, it will end up as shabby, shopworn and nostalgic as Gus and Grizabella.

Michael Eck, a freelance writer from Albany, is a regular contributor to the Times Union.

2 Responses

I think the show was wonderful. I saw the last show on Sunday and Rum Tum Tugger was very well done. Much better than the last Tugger that came to Proctor’s. All of the acting was good, all of the dancing was good, the entire show was wondeful! No, it’s not Broadway wonderful, but so what. It’s a classic musical with a great many fans. I enjoyed the entire thing and I will continue to see it each and every time they return to Proctor’s. By the way, Rum Tum Tugger’s act during Sunday’s show was excellent. He was cute and sexy, he (Zander Meisner)made me a Tugger fan and usually I am not.

I went and seen the show on the 22nd of Feb, and where it was really good. I have to say that it was not what i had in mind, i would have to agree that “Memory” was not sung with the sadness that it needed to be done with; as well as Zander Meisner may have had all the right moves, but he is missing something out of his vocal. During his..well solo, i was expecting the growl and deepend voice…i was a bit disappointed. It seemed that although he did a very good job, maybe John Partridge played rum tum tugger so well..that it is very hard to top him.